Eastern Orthodox View of Sin - Overview

Overview

The Biblical Greek term for sin is αμαρτία (amartia) which means missing the mark, it means that our aim is out and we have not reached our goal, our fullest potential. As in Western Christianity, in Eastern Orthodoxy, the goal is union with God. Orthodoxy also understands sin as a disease of the soul, a condition where the soul is lacking in God's grace. Union with God, which is made possible through Christ, is the ultimate medicine. In Orthodoxy, the mysteries of the Church, also known as sacraments in the West, are vehicles leading towards union with God.